


Prettier than a Picture

by BenSolosGirl20



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben Solo Loves Rey, CW/ fandom gatekeeping, College Student Rey (Star Wars), Comfort, Covid shutdown, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feelings Realization, Foster Care, Kissing, Light Angst, Online Dating, POV Alternating, flatmates, online bullying, past bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:48:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29234040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BenSolosGirl20/pseuds/BenSolosGirl20
Summary: A swift anger seized Ben, anger at the unknown man who had ruined Rey’s entire day. “Who was he?”“A random guy; he had no bio posted, and his only picture was his FB profile picture-of his snowmobile.”“And he had an issue with your FB profile picture.” Ben growled angrily.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 28
Kudos: 85





	1. Chapter 1

Rey closed the Messenger app on her phone, set it face down on the nightstand, and crawling under her comforter, tried to fall asleep again. The world was peaceful outside, except for the muted hum of distant traffic and the rustling of her flatmate Ben as he turned over in bed.  
But all the silence in the world couldn’t soothe her to sleep now. Not since Rey, having woken up and deciding to check the time, saw the notification and read the message in Message Requests. The message that penetrated her with a cold numbness. 

She rolled slowly out of bed 2 hours later, the numbness still eating at her gut. A warm golden scent permeated the air. Despite the dull sadness within, Rey’s lips curved up in a smile. Ben was cooking breakfast. Pancakes, to be specific. He was good at cooking, something she had yet to learn. She stretched her arms high above her head, then strolled out of her room. 

“Morning Ben,” Rey slid into her chair slowly.  
“Good morning Rey,” Ben turned the stove off, slid the griddle to the back burner, and taking the plate of pancakes from the oven where they’d been staying cozily warm, turned around. 

There Rey was at the table, wearing one of his “borrowed” sweat shirts over her sleeping shorts and camisole, her chestnut hair all adorably messy, and sleepy eyed. Ben’s breath caught for a few seconds and something feral purred within him.

Even in her tousled, ultra casual state, Rey was beautiful. If only she knew what she did to him in those “borrowed” sweaters. But Rey was much younger, an engineering student at Coruscant University, and his flatmate, for crying out loud.  
Ben hated to have her think of him as the perverted 30 year old assistant manager from Starkiller Industrial eyeing her up. 

“Any classes today?” Ben slid the coffee carafe across the table to Rey as he sat down at his place.  
“Just my physics class,” Rey absently poured herself a cupful of the fragrant beverage and garnished it generously with sugar and almond milk. “but first, I have to work my shift at Kyber Koffeehouse.”

Ben hummed in affirmation, sweetening his own cup lightly. “I have that board meeting, regarding productivity improvement at Starkiller Industrial.” He took a sip of coffee and frowned. “In all probability, Hux will try to prove that his ideas for improvement are better than mine.”  
Rey giggled, despite herself. “Good thing you’re having the meeting via Zoom; your temper wouldn’t leave a chair standing.” She toyed with the pancake pieces on her plate, hoping her forced giggle sounded anything but forced. The numbness had returned full force, clamping her stomach tightly. 

“Maybe,” Ben smirked. His expression softened with concern when he saw Rey’s face, her inexplicably sad hazel eyes, her forced smile, her complete lack of sparkle. _This isn’t Rey._  
“Are you all right?” he asked. “You aren’t yourself today.”  
Panic seized Rey. _He can’t know what happened._  
“It’s nothing,” she said too quickly, “uh, I’m not too hungry right now. I have to run to work now.” She fervently hoped she sounded convincing. For now, she wanted to leave, to escape those expressive dark eyes that now watched her as she stood up and exited the kitchen. 

It didn’t take her long to shower and dress, and soon Rey had left the flat without seeing Ben. He was probably preparing for his Zoom business meeting, she guessed. She was relieved not to have run into him.  
It wasn’t that she was being cold towards him. _I can’t tell him what happened. It’ll go away._  
Rey wasn’t the kind to discuss her personal life with people; they ended up pitying her. Pity didn’t heal the wounds of her foster care childhood. 

Ben Solo was different; when they had met via an ad she had posted asking for a flatmate, he never asked her about her personal life nor her past. He just helped her settle into his flat, upon agreement for rental payments, and life went on from there.

At first, they had lived separate lives. They’d eat breakfast and leave for work, he for his assistant managerial job at Starkiller Industrial, and she for her part time job as barista at Kyber Koffeehouse, along with her engineering classes. They’d meet in the evening briefly, only to retire for the night and do it again, next day. 

Then the shutdown happened. Ben had to work from home, and Rey had to take her course online; her job was affected, with her work week being reduced to 3 days a week.  
It hadn’t been bad; she and Ben had longer breakfast hours together, movie night, and baking together; enjoying laughs over her mishaps and eating the results anyway.  
Rey paused at the bus stop to wait for the bus. She scuffed the pavement with a sigh. Sure, she and Ben had gotten to know one another better, but she still hesitated on certain things, like her childhood in the system. And the message that was still clutching her insides. 

Something was bothering Rey, Ben was certain of that as he sat down at his desktop. She wasn’t her sunny self at breakfast, she didn’t finish her breakfast, and she seemed to be in a hurry to escape him.  
“It can’t be work,” he murmured as he signed in to the Zoom portal, “and it isn’t her upcoming exam. What could have upset her?” He sighed with frustration. If she hadn’t left so fast, and he didn’t have this meeting, he’d have questioned her.

He still remembered when they met, how he had merely seen her as the flatmate who’d be sharing room and board for the next 4 years as she completed the classes for her engineering degree at Coruscant University.  
At first it was casual; they’d have breakfast and go their separate ways, come home and go to bed. That is, until the shutdown happened and they spent more time together.  
Then Ben noticed certain things about Rey. How she looked so adorable with messy bed head. How her pert nose crinkled whenever she laughed. How she looked good in his “borrowed” shirts. How she snuggled up so cosily beside him whenever they watched Netflix, and how he willingly watched what she liked, even the rom-coms. Somehow, he had developed feelings for her.  
He’d tried telling himself not to, that it wasn’t appropriate. She was a college student, 10 years his junior, and his flatmate, and possibly saw him as merely her flatmate as well. 

He’d managed to convince himself, until Rey started using dating sites online, not merely Tinder or Bumble either. Sites like Match, or the current Facebook dating group she was part of. It was all Ben could do to restrain the sting of jealousy whenever Rey left with someone she’d met, or whenever he’d hear her chatting on the phone or on Zoom. It was her life, he’d tried telling himself.  
But not now. Something had destroyed her sparkle, clouded her sunshine this morning. As his Zoom meeting began, he resolved to ask Rey later what had happened.


	2. Chapter 2

Here you are. Have a wonderful day.” Rey’s eyes were smiling as she handed a lovely older couple their coffees. After they walked away, her eyes dulled, and she sighed, a little too loudly.   
“Are you okay, Rey?” Rose Tico, her co worker asked with concern. She approached Rey. “You’ve been quiet all morning.”  
“I’m okay,” Rey wiped down the countertop nonchalantly as she answered. Truthfully, she wanted to cry; all morning she had taken orders and sold Kyber Koffeehouse’s famous coffees with a forced gaiety that couldn’t warm the icy numbness inside. And all because of that message in Message Requests.  
“I’m actually a little tired,” she added quickly. _And sad. And all because I read a nasty message at 3:30 in the morning instead of sleeping._

“Any plans for today after work?” she asked.  
“Ooh yes! I’m having a home date with Armie tonight, at his flat; chicken cordon bleu, Chardonnay, then Netflix and chill.” Rose was enthusiastic. “It’s been 6 months since we met, so he’s making it special for us tonight.”  
Rey actually brightened up. To Ben, Armitage Hux was a rabid cur, his rival at work; to Rose, he was her ginger haired prince.   
“What about your evening?”   
_Oh oh._ “Just my classes, as usual, maybe a movie with Ben before I go to bed.” She managed to sound casual, before hurrying to take an order.

Rose stared. After Rey had filled out the order, she came up to her. “Rey, you’re so casual about Ben. You know, that hot flatmate of yours? For your sake, please make a move on that tall drink of water before someone else does, like that Bazine Netal, Armie’s PA.”  
“Rose!” Rey whispered in some panic. “He’s my flatmate, not the hot next door neighbor. He may not be attracted to me. Besides, I have my own dating life.”   
_I did, until this morning._

Rose shook her head. “Girl, he’s practically your neighbor, even though he’s your flatmate. If I wasn’t dating Armie, I’d go after Ben myself, but- “  
The bell on the door chimed, and with a squeal of delight, Rose ran to the counter. “Why hello, Armie!”  
“Hello Rose,” Hux petted her hand affectionately. “How has your day been going?”   
“Beautifully, when you walked in.” Rose said. She rubbed Hux’s hand lovingly. “How was your day?”  
“Wish I could say mine was good; Solo’s ideas about improvements for production were chosen over mine,” Hux said grumpily. “So much for all my research and time.”  
Rey couldn’t help grinning behind her mask as she overheard him while preparing someone’s mocha latte. Hux was in a mood; the meeting had obviously not ended in his favor. She decided to ask Ben when she got home.

“Forget about Solo for the day, how about our dinner tonight?”   
“I can’t wait, Armie.” Rose handed him his coffee.   
“See you then, Petals.” Hux paid for his beverage.   
Behind her mask,Rose smiled at his back, then she got busy with customers.

“Have a beautiful date tonight!” Rey clocked out as she spoke lightly, hiding the returning numb feeling.  
“I shall,” Rose was positively glowing as she clocked out too. “and Rey, please go get your man.”  
“My flatmate,” Rey reminded her.  
“Okay,” Rose seemed resigned, then she smiled. “At least, make one little move anyway, okay?”  
Rey sighed with exasperation. “Not tonight, physics are calling me. And Ben isn’t the neighbor, just my flatmate.”   
She sailed out the door. “Have a lovely evening with Armie!”

Rey closed her laptop and raised her arms above her head, stretching the tensed muscles. Since she had gotten home, she had been stationary on the couch studying her physics class for 2 hours. That is, she’d gotten up once or twice, to stretch her legs, and to grab some cold pizza from the refrigerator.   
Rey stretched again and yawned.

“Tired?” Ben’s large hands descended upon her shoulders from behind, and began massaging the aching tensed muscles.  
“Hmmm-hm,” Rey arched her spine backwards into his gently kneading fingers and palms. His touch was pleasantly warm, sending comfortable sensations through her. Rey loved it whenever Ben massaged her aching neck and shoulders; his hands practically spanned her upper back, reaching every aching muscle she didn’t know existed unless she had worked too hard, and kneaded the tension and aches out of them. 

“How was the meeting?” Rey asked.  
“It concluded without me destroying the entire room via Zoom,” Ben replied, “although Hux looked as if he wanted to combust when my ideas for production improvement were chosen over his.” He chuckled at the thought of his coworker exploding into flames. “Rose must have quite the time with him.”  
“Rose can handle him.” Rey said lightly. “Besides you, she’s the only one who can make him stand down and melt at her feet.”

“That’s something I’d like to see,” Ben came around the couch in two strides and settled comfortably beside her. Rey relaxed against his shoulder with a sigh as he took her laptop and set it on the coffee table. Her warmth and the light caress of her hair against his bare arm sent pleasant sensations flowing through him through him. He wanted to tell her how he felt about her, how he wanted to hold her, kiss her. He also feared her reaction. 

Unaware of Ben’s conflict, Rey nestled against him, feeling content- well, almost content. The numbness of the morning was still present, not as intense as it had been earlier. But it was there, a dull ache at her core. A dull ache that needed relief. Like her shoulders needed Ben’s large hands to knead the tension away.   
She made up her mind, there and then. 

“Ben, I must tell you something.” Rey began hesitantly. She fidgeted, looking down at her tightly clasped hands on her lap, hoping she wouldn’t sound childish.   
He hummed in affirmation, turning sideways on the couch to face her. Rey gathered up her courage swiftly.

“There is this dating group on Facebook that I joined two weeks ago. It is private, supposedly a good one, with a lot of members. Shortly after I posted my bio, I got swamped under with classes and didn’t have time to post any good pictures of myself.”  
She spoke quietly, neutrally. Ben watched her, his warm brown eyes filled with interest.

“This morning, I saw I had a message in Message Requests. I thought at first it was some random stranger on Facebook.” She swallowed hard, her hazel eyes glistening with tears. “The guy who sent it- he was from the group- said that guys aren’t attracted to girls who wear masks and Galaxy Wars shirts, and he said that I could be a fake.”


	3. Chapter 3

A swift anger seized Ben, anger at the unknown man who had ruined Rey’s entire day. “Who was he?”  
“A random guy; he had no bio posted, and his only picture was his FB profile picture- of his snowmobile.”  
“And he had an issue with your FB profile picture,” Ben growled. 

He stood up abruptly and paced, his anger rising. Ben knew which picture Rey was talking about now; she had gleefully taken the mirror selfie recently, while on a lunch break.  
In it, she was wearing a face mask and her Galaxy Wars t-shirt, the one with the Sequels’ conflicted villain Kylo Ren in his helmetless, fierce glory screen printed on the front. Above the mask, Rey’s hazel eyes radiated with smiles.  
When Ben had first seen it while checking out his timeline on Facebook, he had had trouble concentrating on his work. Even with the mask, Rey was still prettier than a picture; her eyes just glowed. 

And now, some dude had chosen to bully her. Ben so wanted to punch a wall, in lieu of the bastard’s face.

He was so lost in his angry pacing that he started when Rey touched his arm. “Ben, don’t destroy things just because you’re angry,” she said.  
“You’re telling me to stay calm, after Snowmobile Guy ruined your whole day?” Ben stared at her incredulously. “Hell, he called you fake, criticized your taste in clothes-“  
“I reported him to the administrator.” Rey said with some heat. Her eyes flashed through the unshed tears. _She’s beautiful like that._ Ben thought.

“I’d have told him my mind,” he said through set teeth.  
“And get thrown off Facebook?” Rey asked. She took a deep breath and sighed. “I probably shouldn’t have been upset over the incident, but it hurt so much.”  
She sat down again, and patted the seat beside her, indicating he should sit down too. 

“It reminded me of my high school days, when some of the boys-and girls- teased me for not wearing the latest clothes.” She flexed her fingers. “Unkar Plutt hated spending money on me. He said I cost him to clothe and feed me. As soon as I turned 18, I took my scholarships and left.” 

“Rey, you’re worth more than all that. You’re smart, brave, strong, fun, beautiful-“ Ben stopped short, blushing to the very tips of his ears. Why had he said _that?_ She’d see him as a pervert now and go looking for another flatmate. He looked away, preparing for an outburst of righteous anger. 

“Ben? Ben, what did you say?” She had finished processing what he had said, evidently.

“I said, ‘you’re smart, brave-‘“ he stopped, blushing furiously again. He couldn’t do this.  
“Ben Solo!” She smacked his arm half seriously, half playfully. “Please tell me.”  
_May as well get it over with._ Ben turned to face Rey. “I-uh- said you’re beautiful.” He looked away again, feeling he could just combust from embarrassment. 

Rey just sat there in complete amazement. No one had ever called her beautiful before. She had always felt self conscious of her lack of curves. But her hotly blushing flatmate had just called her beautiful.  
But why?

“Ben,” she said softly, “you called me beautiful. Why?”  
It was so strange for her flatmate to say such a thing, she thought. She looked at him sitting there beside her, still avoiding her gaze. Then Rose’s comment came back to her. _Why didn’t I notice him before?_  
_Because he’s my flatmate._

“Rey,” Ben swallowed nervously, “before you get angry and leave, I wanted to tell you that- well- I think about you all the time.” His courage came back now. “You don’t know what you do to me whenever you’re wearing my shirts, how you look when you’re newly up in the morning, and whenever you snuggle up close whenever we watch movies at night. Even your FB profile picture,” he paused, then continued quickly, “it’s beautiful too. I know I’m probably a pervert, but- “

“Say no more.”

She had crawled into his lap. Without wasting time, she held his face in her hands. Ben was startled, but he grasped her waist lightly. At least she didn’t yell at him, he thought. 

After a brief moment, Rey moved in rapidly, pressing her lips to his full plush lips. With a soft moan, Ben kissed her back; one arm encircled her waist while his other arm glided up her back and his fingers entangled themselves in her hair. Rey’s hands slid up to touch his luscious silken waves. _He has such beautiful hair._ she thought. 

Ben couldn’t believe his luck. Rey hadn’t gotten angry with him for admitting his feelings. Here she was kissing him. Holding her, he thrust his tongue between her lips, deepening the kiss. Rey moaned at the contact. Her hands were everywhere, gliding up and down his arms, up his chest, and across his shoulders, before she buried them in his hair again. She sighed as his hands glided up and down her back; they sent sparks shooting through her. 

At last, they broke the kiss, their lungs burning for oxygen. Rey rested her forehead against Ben’s forehead. “Ben, you could have told me you had feelings for me,” she whispered.  
“I wasn’t sure how you’d react,” he whispered back, tucking a chestnut strand behind her ear, “you were so happy with your life.”  
“I wasn’t really,” Rey answered. She sighed when he leaned forward and brushed her lips with his. Rose was right; he was a drink of water. One she knew she’d always be thirsty for.  
She smiled seductively. “It’s bedtime, Ben.”  
“Let me take you there,” he murmured seductively, lifting her up, bridal style. 

_Rey closed the Facebook app on her phone, set it face down on her night stand, and crawling under her comforter, shut her eyes contentedly. The world was peaceful outside, except for the muted hum of distant traffic and the rustling of Ben’s turning over in bed. Softly, his arm encircled her, drawing her close. Rey sighed contentedly. She could sleep now._

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a real life incident, which I turned into a prompt for Reylo Prompts.


End file.
